The Midnight Children
by BlodreinaBeauty
Summary: Welcome to The Midnight Children's quest. This is a prolonged and horrifying nightmare where the children: Jughead Jones, Veronica Lodge, Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper will be forced to reveal their darkest and truest natures under the watch of Penelope Blossom. Over the course of a week, these children will be tested in the darkest of ways in challenges. I don't own Riverdale.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to The Midnight Children's quest. This is a prolonged and horrifying nightmare where the children: Jughead Jones, Veronica Lodge, Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper will be forced to reveal their darkest and truest natures under the watch of Penelope Blossom. Over the course of a week, these children will be tested in the darkest of ways before their truth is presented to the world around them.**

**And so begins our most terrifying game yet…**

**Chapter One.**

**Betty POV.**

"This is insane," I mutter to Jughead as we prance through the woods. The first four challenges are done. Night One is complete. We took the antidote and we're safe for now. We have a four hour break before this starts all over again in the morning and we have no choice but to fight. We are surrounded by Gargoyles, Penelope and Chic is probably somewhere in the woods.

"If the Poisons or the Serpents come for us…" Juggie starts.

"Then we all die," Archie finishes.

"Do you think our parents know?" Veronica asks. I stop walking, leaning against the closest tree. I lean back on it, resting my head. Jug stops with me and sits down on the ground beside me, dragging me down with him. I lean on his side, trying to take in his warmth.

"I think everyone knows," I admit. "My mom is with the farm. Archie's dad is away and his mom has no idea about any of this. Jughead, maybe she has your dad too but your mom is gone. Veronica, I almost guarantee your dad is in on it and maybe he has captured your mom too."

"If the whole town is in on it…what the hell are we supposed to do?" Archie asks.

"Play the game," Juggie says in a short tone. He sounds just as terrified as I feel. His body is shaking against mine as we sit against the tree. He wraps his arm around my shoulders. I put my head to his, holding his trembling hands in mine.

"What if the game kills us?" V asks.

"Actually, V," I say. "I think Penelope is going to bring in our family. I think that's part of the truth. I think that's part of the sin of it all. She wants to reveal that the town is a place of horror. She is going to do that by involving the entire town, don't you think?"

"Actually, that makes sense," Veronica agrees.

"We have to get through this together. Play the game. Complete the quests and work together to get the hell out of here," I agree.

"We need to rest," Archie says, throwing his head back. He takes off his jacket and balls it up. Veronica and Archie lay with each other just a few feet from Jug and I. I see Archie put his arm around her as they hold each other. I can see them both shaking from fear.

I feel Jug's shaking get worse. I put my hand to his face and tilt it toward me.

"Juggie?"

He looks up at me with a fear stricken expression.

"These quests…they're going to be bad, Bets. What if… what if they make us do things against each other?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"We know it's just a game. We can do this," I assure him.

He doesn't seem at all convinced. I squeeze his hands. I rest my legs out in front of me and lean my head on his chest, wrapping my arm around his waist.

"It's gonna be okay," I promise him.

Just a few seconds later I see both Archie and Veronica are asleep. It almost makes me smile to see them wrapped in an embrace like that, to see them so close to each other and so peaceful. Of course, that will all be taken away rather soon. But for now, it is nice to see my two best friends back together again.

I can still feel Jug shaking against me. I try to sleep but it won't come. I am too freaked out to rest. Juggie jumps, surprising me. I sit back up with fear in my heart, my hands racing to catch his expression between my palms. He stares at me with wide eyes and a trembling bottom lip.

"What is it?" I ask him.

He shakes his head, swallowing hard.

"I don't know," he says. "I just feel really scared all the sudden."

Archie jumps up, holding onto his chest and calling out with a groan. He sits there with his hand to his chest, breathing heavily and looking all around him, fear on his face. There are tears filling his eyes as his heavy breathing worries me. Veronica sits up to put her hand to his chest, trying to get him to talk.

"What is it?" she asks.

Juggie leans down with his head on his knees, balling up.

"What's going on?" I ask him.

Neither of the terrified boys responds. They sit in their balls of fear, holding onto themselves and mumbling.

"Juggie," I say, putting my hand to his head and wrapping my arms around him. "It's okay. I'm here. We're gonna do this together. Just tell me what's going on."

"Archie, please," Veronica begs. "What is it?"

No response from either. Jughead takes my hand and squeezes it as hard as he can. Something is wrong. This isn't in their control. I think back to all of the times that we did our quests. The boys had to physically fight someone, while our quests were character challenges.

I put it together.

This time it will be the opposite.

"This round has already begun. We don't get a break," I say.

"What do you mean?" Veronica asks.

"They must have taken something or been infected with something that induces fear. It must have been slow acting and that's why they feel it now," I explain. "It happened during their fights. It must have gotten into them from the person they were fighting. Now we have to do these next rounds. Our challenges were for character and theirs were physical."

"Now it's the opposite," Veronica says.

I nod.

"Oh no," she mutters.

"The boys are our rocks. We always lean on them for support. They are always there to physically help us. In this round, we don't have that. We have to prove that we can be their rocks too."

"Plus, we have to prove that we can be just as strong as them," she says.

"Do you think that's what happening to me?" Juggie asks. His head is leaning up toward me. There is still fear on his face and his body is shaking but he is looking at me, at least.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

He shakes his head.

"I think this round has already begun," I tell him. "You feel scared because of something that they poisoned you with. It's not real. It's just a fake synthetic thing they put inside you. It will probably go away. But we need you to push away those thoughts. We'll get you through this just like you got us through the last time."

He nods.

"We have to," Veronica says with a sigh. This challenge will be even worse for her. She doesn't like dealing with Archie when he's upset or needs her. I know what scared and upset Jughead looks like. She almost never has Archie when he's like that.

"We've got this, V," I say with a nod.

I stand up, opening my hand to Jughead. He takes it and stands, squeezing me tightly.

"We've got this," I repeat to myself.

**Welcome to my new fanfic! I hope I have some new and old friends! Please leave reviews so I can post the next chapter! This is going to be one heck of a crazy story!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Our story continues…**

**Round Two.**

**This challenge will reveal whether Veronica and Betty can uphold their promises to their men and be a stronghold for them. This challenge will also face the men with a terrifying realization that their character may not be what it appears.**

**Chapter Two.**

**Betty POV.**

I hold onto Jughead's hand as we travel through the woods. We don't have to travel long before we come upon another quest. This one is for me. I step forward, taking the quest card down and reading the back of it.

"What does it say, B?" Veronica asks.

Juggie doesn't let go of my hand. He is still trembling but acting rather brave, as if it doesn't bother him that he has bolts of fear running through his body at any given point. I keep him close for both our sakes.

I read the car aloud.

"Defeat your greatest threat with your greatest enemy."

"What does that mean?" Jug asks.

I look down to a stump not far from us. There is a black skirt, a sexy black bra and a short black wig. I take a long deep breath.

"Bets?" Jug asks as I pick up the wig and turn around with it.

"My greatest enemy is Dark Betty," I say in a strong voice. "According to Penelope, apparently. But, what's my greatest threat?" I ask.

I hear ruffling in the woods not far from us, behind a tree. Just a second later, there are footsteps. I stand close by Jug as the person starts to walk out from the tree.

Toni.

"How is Toni my greatest threat?" I ask, confused. "I can think of a few people that threaten me a hell of a lot more than her."

"No, B," Veronica says, standing beside me. I can feel Archie behind her and Jug behind me. We present ourselves as a united front, always trying to figure out what is going on together.

"This quest is about us standing up for Archie and Jughead because they always stand up for us. Your greatest threat to your relationship has always been—"

"Toni," I finish for her.

"That's not fair," Jughead says, stepping between us. "I would never be with her. I've always loved you."

He seems scared for himself, for what I might say or do because of this revelation. I put my hand to his face and step close to him, looking into those terrified eyes.

"I know," I promise him, something holding fear over my heart. "I love you too. It's okay. I know you love me. But we have to play the game and do the challenge."

He nods, stepping away from me. I turn back to Toni.

"I'm guessing I'm supposed to change into my dark Betty outfit and fight you?" I ask.

"Yes," Toni says, swallowing hard. I look back to the others. Archie nods and turns around, facing the rest of the woods. Jughead helps me get out of my dress and then hands over my skirt. I put on the skirt and then he unhooks my bra, giving me the new one. I throw my wig on over my bun and then walk over to Toni, squeezing Jughead's hand.

"I would never love her, Betty," Jughead assures.

"I know," I promise him. "I know that. We have to do this. We have to play the game."

I turn to Toni and shrug.

"I'm sorry, Toni," I say. "I don't want to hurt you but I have to win this game."

She looks a little afraid and then shrugs.

"It's not like we're the best of friends," she says in a sad tone. I strike first, running over to her and jumping on her. I tackle her to the ground, wrestling to hold her down. Toni gets her hand around my throat, trying to choke me out, push me off of her. I manage to get her back down, elbowing her throat. I hold her down for a long second but her arms are loose. She wrestles me.

I feel a harsh pain, a blow to the side of my head. I fall off of her and onto the dirt. My wig goes flying off of me. I cough, seeing stars and blackness from that punch. I search for something that I can use or do to get her off of me. I don't want to kill her. I don't even want to hurt her.

Toni looks desperate when she holds me down. She has her hands on mine, her knees on either side of me. She is holding me down with all of the strength that she has. I am almost crying against her. I can't let her beat me and I can't kill her to get her off.

I can feel my chest hurting, my body throbbing in pain as I throw my leg over hers, tossing us to the side. I manage to put my hand on her face and dig it into the dirt. I can feel myself crying as I punch her in the face. I punch her again and then for a final time. Her arms are no longer fighting me. Her body is mostly limp but she is still awake.

"Toni," I say, crying. "I'm so sorry."

I punch her out cold.

I collapse on my hands and knees, feeling horrible and terrified. If this is just the beginning, what the hell else are they going to make me do?

"Dark Betty," I hear a voice say.

Penelope.

She is suddenly standing in front of me. I lean back on my knees to stare at her with a shaking, disappointed body.

"You have revealed part of your true dark nature," she says with a grin. "You have completed your round."

I feel Jughead's hand. I take it and have him help me up. He wraps his arms around me. We embrace for several long seconds. His arms are shaking but strong as they hold me.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he whispers desperately against my body.

"I love you too," I say. "I'm okay. It's okay. Toni will be fine. We're okay, Juggie. I promise."

I feel him nod against my shoulder and separate just a little, still holding onto my hands.

"We have to keep moving," I say.

"That's right, Gryphon Queen," Penelope says with a grin. "You better keep moving."

I grab my dress back and put it on, tearing away my black skirt. I am not running around the woods in lingerie, though it is clear that is what Penelope wanted of me.

I walk away from her and from Toni, still on the ground, toward the arrow pointing down a small hill. We all follow it, walking further, following the arrows until after several long minutes, we reach another challenge. We all stare at the card, sighing with fear.

Hellcaster.

"Okay, Juggie," I say, taking his card from the tree with a shaking hand that I wish I could steady.

"Let's do this," he says.

I read the card aloud.

"Admit and share your sin of choice," I read.

"What the hell?" Jug asks. "These quests aren't clear. I don't know what that means. What is my sin of choice?"

"Something that you do that's unusual that you like," Veronica says.

"Something that is an actual sin," Archie offers.

We all stare at each other, trying to figure it out.

"I have to not only say it, but then do it. What does that mean?" Jughead demands, confused. "What's the sin?"

"Let's think," Veronica says in a rushed tone. "Seven deadly sins are: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride."

"Maybe she doesn't literally mean seven deadly sins," I offer.

"Gluttony," Jughead bursts out. "I eat all the time and I eat a lot. Maybe that's what she's talking about."

"Why would she care about that?" I ask.

"Betty's right, Jug. I don't think Penelope would want you to admit that. The admittance must be something you don't want other people to know," Archie says.

Lust.

I look to Jug and stare into his eyes. He looks embarrassed almost immediately. His lips are parted. I can practically hear his heart beating from here. His hands clench and unclench at his sides. He lets out a low, shaking breath, staring right at me.

"No," he says, shaking his head.

"This is a character challenge," I remind him. "She wants you to admit it because she wants to prove we are not innocent and good. That would be a step closer to proving that."

"Yeah and a step closer to admitting that we're just like the rest of this town…like her," Jughead says in return. His voice is fearful but he puts it together as quickly as I do.

"You have to just do it. Just say it," I tell him.

"Uh, Bets," he says in a sudden panic with his eyes gaping wide. He stares at me. "The card says that I have to admit it and then I have to do it…"

I put it together quickly.

"Okay, well obviously we're not going to have sex in front of everyone," I say with a strange feeling in my gut.

"Okay, am I missing something?" Archie asks.

Jughead takes a deep breath. I keep my hand in his as he tries to admit his sin.

"I'm supposed to admit a sin," he starts. "I…Betty and I…" He takes a long breath and then shakes his head with a grin on his face. It's almost like he is back to the real Jughead for a second. He throws his hands up in the air.

"What the hell?" he shouts with a grin. "I like it when Betty dresses up like Dark Betty and is my dominant when we have sex."

Veronica grins and puts her hand over her mouth, as if to hide it. Archie looks shocked and a little weirded out. I just squeeze his hand a little tighter.

"Did I beat the challenge?" he asks.

No response and no strange showing up of Penelope. Instead, I turn to him.

"You have to say it and do it," I remind him.

He shakes his head with an unbelievable grin on his face. He throws his hands up.

"Fine," he says, taking his jacket off. He unbuttons his pants and pushes them down so he is in nothing but his shirt and boxers, shocking all of us.

"Oh my god," Archie says, turning around.

"This is insane," Veronica agrees, turning around with him.

"I'm pretty sure to show it means that you have to watch," I say. Both of them turn back around with a strange look on their faces. We can get away with just doing one simple thing that shows what he likes and be done with it. At least that is what I am hoping for.

Jughead kneels down on the ground in front of me with his hands outstretched toward me.

"Give 'em a good show," he whispers with a smile that actually makes me feel better. I take a deep breath and nod.

"What do you want me to do, Bets?" he asks.

I grab his hair and pull it back with his hat still on. His head yanks back and he stares up at me, grinning. His chest rises and falls rapidly. It is almost obvious that he loves this. If we were in any other place, I would have already turned him on.

"Beg for me," I tell him, feeling bad for the next part. But this will be it. This will be enough. It has to be enough. She is proving her point.

"I want you, Betty Cooper," he says.

I pull his hair back further and harder. I grab his shirt with the other hand and pull his face close to mine, staring into his eyes with darkness in my soul.

"Beg," I tell him again. "More."

"I want you to push me down and ride me until I come, Betty Cooper," he begs. "I need you right now. Please. Please take me over. Have sex with me, right now, please, Bets."

I lean down and seal it with a long kiss.

"Alright! Alright!" Penelope says, coming out of god damn nowhere with a laugh and a clap of her hands. I separate from him quickly. Jughead scrambles to put his clothes back on, grabbing at them quickly with shaking hands and red flushed cheeks.

"That is quite enough," she says with a grin. "Congratulations. You have proved that you are just as sinful as the rest of us."

**Intense…I know. But it is just going to get weirder. Is there a challenge you would like to see in this fanfic? Let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Veronica and Archie are up next in the latest challenge. Veronica must prove her love for Archie while Archie must prove his character against his former demons.**

**Round Two Continues.**

**Chapter Three.**

**Veronica POV.**

This is by far the craziest thing I have ever done. My life is a whirlwind to say the least, but this? This is something out of a V. C. Andrews novel, possibly even crazier.

"Enchantress," Betty says, picking down a card from a closely placed table. If I weren't in the middle of the woods, I would think it's kind of nice. Clearly designer made and hand crafted by the looks of the smooth wood, definitely something that I would admire back in the Pembrooke. It is placed between two trees. The light shines through the top of the forest so I can make out the words easily as Betty reads them from my card.

"Prove your love for the wounded paladin," she reads.

"What does that mean?" I ask. "Archie isn't wounded."

When we look back at him, he has his hand to his chest as if it hurts. He is breathing deeply, holding onto his chest with a clutching embrace. His features are pale and his brawny shoulders look horrible. Actually, he looks more like a frightened child than the strong Archie that fights for my rights and survival.

"Archie?" I ask.

His breathing quickens and he leans against the first tree, throwing his head back as he panics. He continues that horrible breathing that has me terrified for him.

"Ronnie," he says, holding his hand out in front of him. I take his hand but look back at Betty for help. My eyes are pleading, begging her. I have no idea what to do or how to help him. Archie is panicking, practically crying and begging for my help. What am I supposed to do?

"We can't help you, V," she says. "This is the challenge. The fear poison is probably giving Archie this panic attack. The challenge is to bring him out of it. Prove your love for him."

I turn to Archie, trying very hard to ignore the other two. I look only at Archie. Betty was right. We have to show that we can support them just as much as they support us. We have to be able to do this or they won't let us complete the round.

I take a long breath, deciding what to do. I held him when his father was shot and he was crying. I held him close to my chest and I pet his hair, I calmed him down then. I have to do it again.

"Archie," I say in a calm voice. It is the only one that I can muster, though I know it isn't great. I put my hands on either side of his face, making him look at me as I kneel in front of him on the ground. "Archie, I am right here. I need you to listen to me."

He is looking at me, tears on his face and panic in his eyes. I hold him close, feeling horrible but confused.

"I'm scared," he mutters so quietly I wonder if I heard him right. I put my hands to either side of his face and lean close.

"I know," I tell him. "You're gonna be okay. I'm right here. We're gonna solve all of these problems together."

"Why am I scared?" he asks.

I sigh.

"Because you were poisoned. It will be out of your system and you'll be fine soon enough," I say. "For right now, I just need you to listen to me. You are going to be okay. You and I are always going to be together because we're endgame, Archie."

He is staring at me, breathing a little better but still panicking.

I wrap my arms around his body, throwing myself at him and putting my weight on him. His arms don't touch me at all but I don't move. I keep hugging him as tightly as I can. Archie puts his hands on me. I try to hold him but he is pushing me off. His arms are much stronger than me as he tries to fight me off of him.

"No! Archie, stop it!" I tell him. "It's me! Just let me hug you!"

This is the physical part. He is panicking and trying to get me off of him because he's confused. I let him push me off, falling back on my hands. I scramble back to him as he panics, standing up. I jump toward him, wrapping my arms around his neck and throwing my body at him. He tries to push me off of him again so I lean up in his ear.

"Archie," I whisper. "Let me hold you. Just relax and let me hold you. I've got you. You're gonna be fine because I'm right here with you."

After a long moment, Archie's breathing relaxes with his body. His arms go around me and he holds me there for a moment, breathing against me slowly, no longer crying or fearful. It takes a few moments but then it's over and he lets me go.

"Ronnie?" he asks.

"You're okay," I promise him.

He nods, holding onto my hand.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you too," he assures.

"Guys?" Betty says. "We have to keep moving."

We follow behind them, trekking through these god damn woods like a bunch of _Lord of the Flies_ boys. We find the next place where Archie's challenge will be. I grab the Red Paladin card off of the tree and read it aloud for everyone.

"Red Paladin," I say. "You must show a horrible weakness."

"Didn't I just do that?" he asks.

"Yes," Penelope says, walking out of the woods. "Your challenge was mixed with Veronica's. Little to your knowledge, you admitted your fear while you were under the influence of the fear serum I put you under."

She gives us all a sly smile and a shrug of her thin shoulders.

"Your challenge is completed. Congratulations, Midnight Children, Round two is complete. You have two hours of break before Round three begins."

**Hope you all enjoyed! Up next…a little break before we start Round Three.**

**Let's get these reviews up! I want to know what you guys think! Also, don't forget to follow "Falice in the Midnight Club" and "Bughead Series, My Serpent Queen". Thanks guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A much needed break. They have earned two hours for rest and recuperation before the trials of the Midnight Children continue.**

**Chapter Four.**

**Jughead POV.**

I grab Betty and wrap her in a hug. My arms lock around her. Our bodies are pressed together as tightly as they could be with clothes on. I relax my head down on her shoulder. I feel her hair against my chin, tickling my neck. I feel her body against me, the curve of her body on my chest and her arms tightening around my back. I hold her so close to me that I can feel our hearts pressing against each other. I can feel her heart beat. I can hear her sobbing words against my chest. I hold her as tightly as I can muster. My body is tired and my mind feels like it is falling apart. I just want to go to sleep and relax with her body against mine. I want this to all be over so that I can finally be alone with Betty again.

Instead, I am trapped in this horrible situation, feeling terrified. Though I am glad to be surrounded by friends. I burry my face against her neck, letting my body conform to hers, my lips brush her skin. I try to blink away tears but they end up falling down my cheeks and onto her shoulder. I know she notices but she doesn't say anything. She just holds me in return. I feel her sobbing against my chest, her body wracking with the pain of the day, which is now forming into yet another terrible night.

"Betty," I whisper against her. "We're okay."

"Are we?" she asks into my shirt.

I don't say anything to that. I just keep her close.

"Guys," Veronica says. "We should get some rest."

She brushes her hand underneath of her eyes, wiping away what I assume to be tears. Her eyes are still red from them. Archie is turned around, facing a tree with his hand clearly up to his face. I feel bad for the both of them, for all of us.

"Come here," I tell them.

"What?" she asks, confused.

"Come here," I say again, nodding over.

Veronica grabs Archie's hand from his face. He turns around to reveal puffy eyes and cheeks. I don't bother hiding my fearful expression. I sniffle and open one of my arms as Betty does. Veronica and Archie come into a long, hard hug with us. We hug as tightly as possible for a long while, just holding onto each other.

"We're okay," I tell them. "We got through Round Two. We can do this if we keep working together."

"We've got this," Archie agrees.

I separate from them. We all stare at each other, wondering which one of us is going to get us out of this or have a solution. Instead of coming up with anything I just throw my arm around Betty and lean back against the tree behind me. I slide down it, bringing Betty with me. I help her sit between my legs, resting her back on my chest.

"I've got you," I tell her.

"Let's rest for a while, guys," Veronica offers.

"I don't know if I can sleep, Ronnie," Archie admits.

"Me either," Betty says. I hold onto her tighter, throwing both of my arms around her chest and resting them there. She holds onto my hands, gripping them and making me feel better. She makes me feel so safe, her weight on me pushes safety toward my chest, making me breathe again.

"Thank you for helping me through that, Ronnie," Archie says.

"Yeah, and thank you all for not being weird after what I admitted," I tell them, trying not to flush and remember that Archie and Veronica, our friends, totally watched me get a boner when Betty was telling me what to do and I was begging for sex.

"Hey, we're all into something, Jug," Archie says. "I don't see a reason to judge you for it."

"Me either," Veronica says with a shrug. "Plus, I sort of already guessed that."

"Wow," I say with an actual smile. "Thanks, Veronica."

"What do you think the next round will be?" Betty asks.

We lean against each other, holding tight while we think about the millions of options that are before us. There is so much they could pick apart from our lives. There is so much that they could hold against us. And it is all to prove that we are just as bad as the rest of the town.

"Something horrid no doubt," Veronica says.

"Something to prove that we are bad people," Archie says. "I don't think I can handle anymore physical challenges. I feel like I went through a meat grinder."

"That bear challenge was terrible, Arch," Bets says with sympathy. "You must be in a lot of pain."

He nods, throwing his arm over his side as Veronica leans down to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I think they are going to put us through the worst that we have ever been trough in our lives," Betty says.

"Let's remember that I almost died last year when Penny and the Ghoulies attacked me and Archie did die up in the mountains and they had to bring him back," I remind them.

"Great," Veronica says. "What the hell is up next?"

"Something terrible."

I hear a small snore and look over to see Archie's head leaned back and his eyes closed. It almost makes me smile. At least he will get the chance to heal up a little bit before we start all over with a challenge that will be no doubt worse than the last one. Veronica smiles too, wrapping her arm around his waist and closing her eyes.

"I am glad to see them back together," Betty says against me.

"Me too," I agree.

Betty turns around to face me, still conformed in my lap but looking in my eyes. I feel the warmth of her body against me. I can see the peace that her eyes bring as she stares into my soul.

"Bets," I say, feeling vulnerable under her gaze.

"I love you," she says. "No matter what they make us do or what they make us feel. You have to know that I love you and that I will always choose you. We will make it out of this together if we just play their game."

"I love you too," I tell her, leaning in to kiss her. She pulls away quickly to look at me.

"I didn't want to hurt Toni," she says. "I was mad at you for kissing her and mad at her for kissing you when she knew you were vulnerable. But I never would have hurt her if I didn't have to."

"I know," I tell her.

"So whatever they make either of us do…we have to remember that this is Penelope's game and she is playing with our heads."

She seems very insistent. I nod in agreement and kiss her hard. She kisses me back just as passionately, holding onto the back of my neck as our lips embrace each other.

"I love you," she whispers.

"I love you," I whisper back, holing onto Betty because she is my life source.

**I'd like to see lots of reviews please! Thanks guys!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This challenge will bring all four Midnight Children to the terrible realization that they all have demons. Without admitting to them after all this time, they have proclaimed their innocence. Now, they must purge of the one thing holding them back and admit no one is innocent, not in a wicked town.**

**Round Three.**

**Chapter Five.**

**Jughead POV.**

"And round three begins," I say, letting go of Betty's hand as I walk up to the challenge.

"Who's challenge is this?" Veronica asks.

"I think it's for all of us. Look."

There are four stations in front of us. One large stump with three things sitting on it and a card at the bottom, representing that person's space. I walk over to my card and find the large tree stump in front of me has my Serpent jacket, a red bandana I recognize as Jellybean's and a tan hair tie that looks like Betty's.

"What is this about?" Betty asks, standing beside me.

I look down the line, comforting myself with the people surrounding me. Archie is on my left, next to Veronica and Betty is on my right. I look down the line of my friends standing in front of their three items.

I pick up my card and read the back of it, assuming that the rest of them have the same instructions.

"Purge the one item holding you back," I read aloud.

"Mine says the same thing," Veronica agrees.

"Mine too," Betty says.

"Same," Archie agrees.

I look up past the four stubs to see a small fire in the dirt. We have to choose the one thing that holds us back and throw it in the fire, of course. The problem is that if we pick the wrong thing, we lose. We have to figure out what is holding us back, get rid of it and then the quest is complete.

"Okay," Betty says in a steady tone. She seems unafraid, which makes me feel better, of course. "We need to work together to figure out which is the right one."

"I agree. We'll start at the head of the line. Veronica?" I ask her.

She leans down, picking up the first item.

"My dad's pen," she says, setting it back down and looking to the next ones. She is shaking with fear as she holds a cheap New York City magnet in her grasp.

"New York," she mutters with a thick voice. Archie walks over to her, squeezing her free hand. She goes for the third item, staring at a letterman jacket.

"Is that Archie's?" I ask.

"No," he says. Veronica looks over at me with sadness all over her face. She bites her lower lip.

"It's Reggie's," she finishes.

"What is holding you back? Your father, your past or Reggie?" I ask her. She looks down at all three items and seems to come to a conclusion quickly with a nod.

"My dad," she says, shrugging.

"That seems like the obvious answer, V," Betty says.

"So?"

"So maybe that's the wrong answer."

Veronica gets frustrated right away, throwing up her hands but still staring down at the items.

"Fine! Reggie!" she shouts. "Reggie is my crutch. He's the one that I always lean on when I should be making real decisions or doing something that matters. He tried to tell me that but I didn't listen."

"Purge it," I tell her.

She grabs his jacket and walks over to the fire, tossing it in. She turns back and walks to Archie's place behind the large stump with his three items. No one walks out of the woods or tries to kill us so we all take that as a sign to continue what we are doing.

"Arch, you're up."

He looks down at his belongings.

"Boxing gloves, the keys to the car that Hiram gave me and my dad's business card," he says.

We all stop to think.

Archie has been through quite a lot. He was thrown into hell with Hiram last year. That would be the easiest answer to give so it's probably not the real one. He has always felt like he has a hold on Riverdale because of his father, like he has to stay here because of him. He never wanted to own his father's business. That is holding him back from music and boxing and what he wants for himself. But is that the ultimate? Boxing gloves. Those are what he has been into lately. He has been fighting his way out of every single circumstance that he has gotten himself into. He was a calm, peaceful guy. He always did the right thing and he got in some fights but he never picked them because he wanted to. He fought because he had to. The boxing gloves represent an angry, desperate Archie.

They are holding him back from being the Archie he once was, the Archie he wishes he could get back to.

"The boxing gloves!" I shout.

"What? That doesn't make sense," Archie says. "They're what has been keeping me sane."

"No," insist. "They have been holding you back from music, from being the boy next door, from being yourself again."

"He's right," Betty agrees. "You have been fighting your way through junior year when you should have been getting back to what you love."

"Maybe," he says. "I just don't—"

"You don't want to admit that maybe there is some truth to that, Archikins," Veronica says. "You know that we want to help you get this right. Boxing, fighting, is in the way of the Archie that had almost no problems."

Archie grabs them with anger and throws them into the fire quickly, turning around and folding his arms over his chest. We get no reaction. The others all stare at me.

"Guess it worked," Archie agrees.

"My turn," I say. I swallow hard and pick up the Serpent jacket.

"What? No, Juggie," Betty insists.

"Bets," I say, throwing her a look. "If it weren't for the Serpents, I would have almost nothing in Riverdale. Nothing except you."

"Maybe it is me, then," she says, looking down at her hair tie.

"No," I say. I drop the jacket back to the stump and walk over to her. I grab her around her waist.

"Remember what I said to you by the fire at the swimming hole?" I ask her.

"Yes. You said that we're partners in life _and _with the Serpents, Juggie. They gave you a home. They took you in and you helped them become what they are. You gave us purpose. You gave me a family. The Serpents are the only family that I have left, Jug."

I didn't think about that. She's right. Her father is dead. Her mother and sister abandoned her. Her niece and nephew don't even know her. Her cousin doesn't like her. She has no one. She doesn't even have a home anymore.

"You'll always have me and you'll always have the Serpents," I say.

"And so will you," she says.

"So if it's not Betty and it's not the Serpents…" Veronica starts.

I turn back to the tree stump and pick up Jellybean's bandana. I take a long, shaking breath, trying to steady my hands. I give Betty a desperate look. I can't do this on my own.

She clasps it in my hands.

"It's a game, Juggie," she reminds me.

"But this part is true," I agree with a nod. "My family has always held me back. Dad made me homeless. Mom left me. Jellybean just gets into trouble. If it weren't for them, I would have saved myself a lot of pain."

"That doesn't mean that the pain wasn't worth it," she insists.

"We can discuss that later," I say with a short nod. I throw her bandana in the fire.

It's done.

I sniffle, squeezing Betty's hand and looking into her eyes. She looks really sorry for me and really sad. She walks over with me. All four of us stand around Betty's, staring down at her three items.

"The farm tee shirt," Betty says. "A black hood and my black wig."

"Great, another black wig appearance," Archie says.

"No jokes," I warn him, trying to give him a smile.

"Does the farm hold me back? My dad? Or me?" she asks.

"The obvious answer is all three," Veronica says.

"But the card says one," I remind her.

"It has to be me," she says. "The other two are too similar. They both involve family and this one is the odd one out so it must be me. The darkness inside me is what holds me back all the time."

"Bets," I mutter.

"It's okay," she says in a choked voice. "It's just a game. Right?"

**Let me know! Are you liking the game?**


	6. Chapter 6

**This challenge is simple. Each member of the Midnight Children will reenact their worst nightmare. The worst thing that has ever happened to them must again be done. This time, they have the opportunity to change that trauma.**

**Round Four.**

**Chapter Six.**

**Jughead POV.**

"No rest for the wicked," I mumble as we walk up to my card attached to a tree. I grab it and flip it over.

"Not in a wicked town," Betty finishes for me.

"Tale your worst memory," I read aloud.

"I have a feeling we are all going to have to do this," Veronica says. I can feel her shaking beside me. I try not to notice but her arm brushing against mine, even in the slightest of touches gives away her fear of the night. I give an eye to Archie, nodding toward her. He wraps his arm around her in an instant, as I do the same for Betty.

"What is your worst memory?" Archie asks.

"Gee, where do I begin?" I joke.

Betty nudges my arm.

"My fifteenth birthday when my mom and Jellybean left," I say, swallowing hard. "When I was eight and I was in the court room with Jellybean, trying to tell the judge that my parents didn't abuse me that they just hated each other."

It sends anger through my body. It makes me shake. I grip my hands tightly into fists. I stare down to the four posts we are standing between. Four flamed posted, giving light to the dark night.

"When Archie told me that Betty didn't want to be with me anymore. When Cheryl told me that Betty and Archie kissed." I feel Betty tense beside me. My throat is thick with hate and pain. "When I came home to find that my dad was drinking again. When my mom told me that I couldn't come visit her…that she didn't want to see me."

Tears well up in my eyes. My throat grows cold and thick. I swallow hard, pushing back all of that horrible emotion that I want to get rid of so badly. I ball my hands into fists so tightly that I am hurting myself.

"Jughead, those are bad…but what's the worst?" Veronica asks. She is the only one that can manage to speak to me right now. She is the only one that isn't also crying with me.

"Malachi. He told me that what he would do with my girlfriend would be terrifying. Then they beat me up and I almost died. But the bad part was that I woke up without her and my dad…he said that something happened to Betty. I thought he…" I can't finish that sentence. "I can't."

"You thought he did something to me?" Betty asks.

I nod.

"I thought a lot of things in that thirty seconds before my dad explained it to me. But that was the worst feeling in the world. I thought that I put you in danger."

"Juggie," she says, putting her hand to my face. I kiss her palm before turning back to the noises that come from the woods. I grab Betty and put her behind me.

Penelope comes out of the woods with a couple of gargoyles as usual. She puts her hands behind her back as she stands away from the center of the circle.

"Your worst memory is a memory of not being able to save the love of your life," Penelope says.

"Yes," I agree, worried that I somehow picked the wrong one. But this seems like it should be based on our own opinion.

"Somehow I thought you might say that," she says. "Your quest is to endure fifteen seconds of watching Betty's torture."

"What? No!" I shout.

"Oh yes," she says. "And then you may save her from her assailant…if you can."

"No! This is insane! I am not letting her get beat up by some guy!" I shout.

"Not some guy," she says with a short laugh. "The very man that you feared would hurt her in the first place."

"What?"

Malachi comes striding out of the woods with a grin on his face. His long hair is still in his face and he is wearing nothing but torn pants and a vest. He looks horrible and scary as always. He grins with wild eyes as he walks to the center of the circle.

"How? No! I am not letting this happen!" I shout.

"If you don't, we just kill Betty instead," Penelope says with a shrug.

"Why are you doing this?" I beg, feeling those tears in the back of my throat again. I can't handle this. This is not fair.

"Let me help her sooner than that," I beg.

"No. Do you accept the challenge or not?" she asks.

I look to Betty. She looks unafraid. Betty's expression is strong and firm. She presses her lips together and then gives a small nod.

"We have to do this," she says. "It's just a game. We've got this."

I don't trust my voice so I don't answer. Desperately, I make my way to the edge of the circle. I feel Archie and Veronica behind me while Betty walks into the circle. She is hit in the face right away. She falls to the ground and Malachi holds her arms down, pushing his body on top of her.

"NO! NO! GET OFF OF HER! NO!" I scream, throwing my body to the center of the circle in a complete panic. Archie grabs both of my arms and pulls me back, holding onto me with all of his strength.

"Seven seconds left," Penelope says.

Malachi grabs both of her wrists. I watch as he pushes his face down on her neck and bites her. He bites her so hard that she calls out in pain, screaming at the top of her lungs. He comes up, spitting her blood to the side.

"God! Betty! Let her go! Please let her go! Please!"

"Two seconds," Penelope says.

Malachi grabs her hair, pushing her face into the dirt. Betty gasps for air and then he lets her go.

"Enter," Penelope says.

Archie lets me go. I charge Malachi, sending him to the ground. My entire body is seething with rage. I throw punches at his faec, at his body, at his chest. I dig my knee into his groin and leg. I throw punches at him until he has blacked out and then I keep going. Blood flies from his face, a tooth digs into my fist. I keep punching him over and over again, his blood flying all over my body.

"Juggie! Juggie!" I hear. I stop moving when I see the blood covering his face and my shirt. I pull the tooth from my fist and stare down at his massacred body.

"Oh my god," I mutter, feeling sick.

I scramble off of him, standing up quickly and rush over to Betty. She has blood on the side of her face and on her shoulder from the bite. I can already see purple bruises on her wrist from where he held her and dirt around her face and mouth.

"Bets," I say.

"It's over," she assures. "It's over. I promise it's over."

Betty opens her arms and I fall into them. I grab her around her entire body, grasping her body and gripping at her as tightly as I can. My stomach clenches really hard. My body feels weak as I hold her.

"It's over," she says again. "I'm okay."

"No," I insist. "You're not. He bit you."

"I'm okay," she says, seriously. "I promise. They are just wounds and they will heal."

Slowly, she separates from me, putting her hands on either side of my face.

"Are you gonna be okay?" she asks, clearly afraid.

"I've never been so angry," I say, swallowing.

"It's okay, Juggie. It's done. It's just a game. It's just a game. I love you," she says.

I lean down and kiss her as hard as I can. She is surprised but kisses me back. When I pull away, I know that I look crazy and covered in blood and desperate but I need her to know.

"I love you more than anything else in the world," I tell her. "I need you forever. Promise that we'll be together forever. Promise that I have you forever."

"Forsythe Pendleton Jones III," she says with a small smile and tears pouring down her face. "I love you forever. You have me for the rest of our lives. I promise."

I grab her around her waist, kissing her once again.

"Uh, guys!" Veronica says. "Not to break up your engagement but, it looks like it's Archie's turn."

**That was insane and definitely one of my favorite things to write ever! (And I write books everyday lol) Any thoughts on this chapter and how desperate Jughead got?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Round Four continues…**

**Archie will now reenact his worst memory yet.**

**Chapter Seven.**

**Betty POV.**

"What is your worst memory, Archibald?" Penelope asks. I keep my arm around Jughead. He is still covered in Malachi's blood. His body is shaking with anger. His face is constantly unsure and a little frightened. I think I calmed him down but he still seems unhinged. I keep a firm grip around his waist.

"When I thought Betty would never speak to me again," he says. That shocks me. I look back at him with surprise.

"You're my best friend," he says. "It was like everything was crumbling and without you…it was horrible."

"Out of everything?" I ask him.

He thinks for a long moment, running his hand down his face and then keeps on going.

"When I found out that Veronica was having sex with Reggie," he admits and then goes on. "When my dad was shot the first time. When I agreed to be Hiram's bitch. When I was arrested. When I had to leave Riverdale and I thought that everyone was in jeopardy because of me. When I got attacked by that bear."

"Worst of all?" Veronica asks. "The time that you felt the worst in your life?"

Archie looks around at all of us and then back to the small circle.

"The moment I gave up my innocence. The summer before sophomore year. If I didn't do that one thing, maybe I wouldn't have tried to grow up so fast and deal with adult problems I had no business dealing with. If I would've made a better decision then, I wouldn't have pushed all of my friends away. I almost didn't have Veronica. I pushed Betty away and Jughead hated me."

I put it together before the others.

"Grundy," I say aloud.

The other two seem shocked.

"Oh, Archibald," Penelope says with a short laugh. "How did I know you would choose her?"

"She's dead," Veronica says. "There's nothing you can do for that. How would he relive that anyway?"

"What if you hadn't been with Grundy that year?" Penelope asks. "You and Betty were pretty close. She would have been your closest companion. What would have happened that year?"

Archie shakes his head and looks over at me. We stare at each other for a long time.

"I would have asked Betty out," Archie admits.

"What would that have looked like?"

"No," Archie says, shaking my head. "You just made someone assault Betty and Jughead had to watch. I am not letting him watch us. That's not happening. I'm not kissing my best friend. I said that would have happened back then. That was a long time ago. We don't feel that way about each other anymore."

"This is about reliving it," she says. "Do it or die."

I walk to the center of the circle and look over at Archie. He stares at me and shakes his head.

"Jug?"

"It's fine," he says in a dark tone. I can tell he is still haunted by Malachi. He looks shaken, covered in blood and horrified by the decision that he made to choose that as his worst memory.

"Just get it over with."

"This means nothing, Jughead," I insist.

"I know," he assures.

I stare at Archie as he walks over to me and leans down. He turns back to Veronica for a long second.

"I love you, Veronica," he says.

"I love you too."

He turns to me and before I can think, his lips are on mine. It's odd. It feels different and warm. But it doesn't feel good. He kisses differently than Jughead. He is kissing me with everything he has, holding onto my waist and pulling me close. His lower lip pushes against my mouth, making me feel strange when I try to kiss him back.

"Congratulations," Penelope says. We separate instantly. "You're round is complete, Archie. Veronica is up."

Awkwardly, I look to Archie and his shaken flushed face. I run back to Jughead, putting my arm around his waist. He is still angry, still shaken but clearly trying to hide it all.

"Are you okay?" I ask him in a whisper.

He nods.

"Veronica Lodge. You poor pretty rich girl, what is your worst memory?" Penelope asks in a sappy tone that makes me want to choke her for all of the things she has done to us.

Veronica looks around to all of us and then back to Archie. She looks sympathetic, apologetic even. It makes my head hurt just looking at the pair of them.

"The worst memory I have is the day that I got Archie exonerated and he left me alone in Riverdale," she admits.

"Very good, Veronica," she says. "Come with me."

Veronica starts walking but we all walk after her. Penelope turns around with her hand held up.

"Oh, no," she says, shaking her head. "You all stay here. Veronica will be completely lost in this woods…alone. And in her version, well, I do hope that Archie makes the right decision this time."

With that, the gargoyles grab Veronica and run away with her. I don't chase her because I know it is a bad idea. We can't get each other killed because we have sympathy.

Jughead pulls on my arm to keep my back from taking another step forward. He holds me close to him as we both look over at Archie. He looks afraid and guilty. I can see it all over his face. He thinks this is his fault. He is filled with anguish.

"How long do I have to wait?" he asks. Penelope looks to him.

"Actually, I was hoping you'd be running by now," she says.

"Go! Go!" Jughead and I say together. He turns toward the woods, past the small clearing and dives into it, disappearing into the night. I can already hear him screaming her name, calling her out and begging for her to come to him, to find him. Jughead holds me close, squeezing my shoulder. He flips me around to face him.

"I am sure that he'll find her," he says.

I nod.

"Betty," he says. I reach up and try to brush the blood from the side of his mouth, pushing to make it go away. It's hard so I have to rub it off. He closes his eyes and then takes a deep breath, looking afraid.

"I had to," he says.

"I know," I assure him.

"I was so scared that he could have done something terrible and I wouldn't know anything about it," he explains.

"Juggie," I stop him, putting my hands to either side of his face. "I know why you beat him up. I know why you felt you had to. If it were you, maybe I would have done the same thing."

Penelope turns back around to face us.

"Maybe you'll get the chance to find out," she says with a smile. "After all, you're last but not least."

We stand there for several minutes, looking at each other or at Penelope and standing completely still. We wait for them for so long that I am starting to think they are both lost. When I think I hear movement, I look up at Jughead but he shakes his head.

"Not yet," Juggie insists.

"I think I hear them," I say.

I turn back to the woods where Veronica comes out with Archie's arms around her, holding her tightly to his side. Veronica has tears on her face though her eyes are looking out into the distance. It looks like she is far away, though I can feel her right in front of me.

"Are you okay?" I ask them, walking to V. She gives me a small nod, but she still seems shaken. Archie doesn't let his arm leave her. All over again, I feel Jughead's hand on my shoulder shaking.

"Elizabeth," Penelope says with a smile. "What is your worst memory?"

**What do you think is her worst memory?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Round four continues…**

**Betty Cooper must relive her worst memory and remake it as she sees fit.**

**Chapter Eight.**

**Betty POV.**

"Until high school, all my memories are good," I admit. I had so much fun with Archie and Juggie as a kid. We were the best of friends, going on the grandest of adventures together. Once high school came, and people started treating me like an adult (sort of), I knew more and I realized that the world was a very different place.

"At one point in my life, I would have told you that Polly leaving was the worst or maybe when Archie told me that we were just friends," I tell them all, thinking out loud so that maybe they can help me. "One of the worst things was when my parents weren't getting along anymore or when we…killed that man in my house."

"Betty, what?" Archie demands.

"What are you talking about? What man?" Veronica says.

"I'll explain later," I answer to both of them. Jug squeezes my hand, urging me on.

"Maybe when the black hood started calling me. When he made me get rid of Veronica and say all those awful things or when he made me break up with Jughead. When I found out that it was my father. When Jughead broke up with me after I did the Serpent dance."

Jughead tenses next to me. So many of these are with him because he is the highlight of my world. He is the thing that makes me feel good about life. He makes me feel happy, more than anything and anyone else.

"Being chased by the gargoyle king, hallucinating that my mother and Polly killed the twins, seeing my mother join a cult, getting chased around the school by the black hood…and oh, just yesterday I shot my father and then watched as someone shot him in the head!" I shout, surging with anger and shaking with fury. Jughead doesn't blink or move a muscle beside me. He lets me scream at her, lets me get angry with the woman that is making this all happen for us.

"No," she says. "There is one memory so horrific, so terrifying that if it pulled through, if its conclusion had been what you thought it was…you'd probably be dead right now, Elizabeth."

Something I didn't mention.

I look to Jug.

"I'm sorry," I say. "This is going to hurt you."

He looks confused and a little scared but he keeps ahold of my hand really tight.

"My worst memory is when I ran up on Mr. Jones holding Jughead, beaten, unconscious and barley breathing."

"Bets," Jughead says next to me, clearly surprised.

"Why is that your worst memory?" she asks.

"Because Jughead is my only constant. Even when we broke up, I knew that he would always be my friend. I knew that if I needed him, he would be there. And when he pledged himself to me in the beginning of the year, I knew that meant that he was all I was going to have. Losing him would be like losing everything. There is a darkness in me that I don't always understand but with Jug it's better. He can show me that darkness isn't so bad."

"That is a lovely sentiment, Betty," she says with a smile. "Unfortunately that means we must relive it. Jughead, looks like you'll be reunited with the cyclops."

I curse under my breath as Jughead steps into the circle and Penny comes out from the woods and stands across from him. They both stare at each other for a long moment. Jughead puts his arms up in front of his face, as if he is going to box her.

"Sixty seconds, Betty," Penelope says.

"What? No!" I shout. "Jughead only had to wait fifteen. Why isn't it the same?"

"Because I didn't really want to watch what happened to you after that," she says. I don't think about it. I don't answer her. Ten seconds have already passed.

"Weapons!" Penelope shouts and tosses out a knife to each of them.

I turn back to the pair that is fighting. Jughead is circling her. She goes in a few times to slice at him. He ducks away from her, managing to get away the first time but he doesn't block the second one. She slices through is arm, sending blood pooling down his arm and shirt.

"Juggie!"

Jughead goes after her, slicing across her hand. She jumps back, holding onto her hand with pain and groaning.

"Want to play dirty, Jonesy?" she asks in that horrible tone she always puts forth.

"I'm just trying to play the game," he says.

She lunges after him, throwing him on the ground. He is tossed back, smacking his head on the dirt. He stares up at her, holding her arms above his chest as she pushes down as hard as she can. I see the physical struggle between them as they both try to push at the other. Jughead tries to wrestle her off, tries to get rid of her, to overpower her but none of that works. She is able to keep him down, pushing the knife against his chest until finally, it digs in just a little.

"No!" I shout when Jughead calls out in pain.

He tries to push back again but Penny has him. She pushes the knife down further. He's calling out in pain.

"You may intervene!" Penelope calls.

I run over, charging at Penny and jerking her off of him. We both roll to the side, leaving the knife in Jug's chest. I put my hands around her throat and hold her there, choking her. She scratches at my face and throat, trying to pull me away, scratching at me. I keep my hands locked around her throat for as long as I can.

"I'm gonna let you up and after this I never want to see your face again. You got that, bitch?" I tell her.

I don't give her a chance to respond. I stand up, getting off of Penny and letting her scramble to her feet.

"Just when I was getting to have some fun," she says with a shrug.

"Get the hell out of here before I kill you," I demand. I don't look at her to see if she is paying attention or not. I look back at Jug, rushing to him. The knife is gone from his chest. I help him sit up, ripping his shirt from his body. I open it quickly to access the wound. As I am putting pressure on it, he is groaning in pain.

"We're okay," I remind us both.

"Are you?" he asks.

I nod.

"Congratulations," Penelope says. "You've earned four hours of rest. I suggest you get some sleep. It's not over yet."

**What are you looking forward to in this fanfic?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Time has come again for a small break. The Midnight Children have earned four hours of uninterrupted rest. We do hope they use it wisely.**

**Chapter Nine.**

**Betty POV.**

I keep pressure on Jughead's wound as best as I can. Veronica and Archie kneel beside me. Archie is covered in cuts and bruises. His entire body looks rattled and warn. Veronica's hair is out of place. Her dress is torn at the bottom and her jacket is gone. My dress is almost nonexistent. I might as well cut off the lower half from how dirty and heavy it is getting. My hair is back in its ponytail, gone from the bun it was once in. But Juggie. Oh, my poor Juggie.

He has a few marks on his face but what concerns me is that it's freezing and he has nothing but a tight undershirt. I keep pressure on his wound on his chest as Archie wraps a piece of Jughead's button up over his arm. He pulls the shirt really tight with a grin on his face.

"It's gonna be fine," he says.

"It'll have to be," Jughead agrees. "Cut off more of that shirt. A long piece to go around my chest, just in case."

Archie tears off a whole sleeve and wraps it around his body. I help hold him up, carrying some of his weight. Archie tightens it around the wound on the center of his chest, looking it over before covering it back up.

"It's not the deepest wound I've ever seen," he says. "Does it hurt?"

"Some," Jughead says. "To be honest, I'm just really tired."

"Me too," I agree.

I stand up and grab Jughead's hand, leading him over to get deeper into the woods. I don't want to be anywhere near that quest or any other one. We stop when we can't see any quests around us and sit down. Jughead and I lay against each other not far from Veronica and Archie. We all lay down, holding onto each other for our lives.

Jughead puts his arm around my waist and holds onto me as tight as he can. I rest my head down on the ground, feeling the warmth of his body on mine and the steady rhythm of his fast heartbeat against my back.

"I love you," he whispers against me.

"Guys, do you think this is ever going to end?" Archie asks.

"Yeah," I say. "It has to end at some point. She'll make her point and we'll get the hell out of here."

"Like I said before, if she wanted us dead, we would be. She wants the entire town to know the truth. She probably had us filmed or recorded or something stupid so that she could prove it," Jughead says.

"Or maybe she is just involving these other people from the town to prove that it's all of us…that we're all at fault for corrupting the town of Riverdale," I explain, still laying down on the dirt of the woods.

"What else could she possibly want us to admit?" Archie asks.

"I don't want to think about it," Jughead says. "I need sleep."

"Go to sleep, Juggie," I tell him, crossing my hand over his and caressing down his fingers, across his forearm. After a few moments, I can feel his steady heart beat and the warmth of his soft breathing against my neck. I try to remember where we are and not get comfortable but it feels so good that I almost feel safe for a moment.

I look over at Archie and watch as his eyes close and his head relaxes against Veronica. It makes me feel another surge of goodness as I watch him become so comfortable and young again in a matter of minutes. With both of the boys asleep I decide that I should sleep too. I try to relax, pushing all of my weight into the ground and thinking of nothing but the warm comfort of having him here with me. At least we are doing this together. All four of us together as always. At least we can get through it that way.

"B," Veronica whispers across from me. I open my eyes to find her still awake and looking frightened, though held in Archie's arms lying just a foot from me.

"What is it?" I ask her.

She looks sad, on the brink of crying.

"The things that we have done before, even little trivial things, she could hold against us," she says.

"Yeah," I offer, waiting for more.

"I just…I don't want her to hold us against each other. What if in the next round, or the round after that, she starts pinning us against each other or against our other friends? Isn't that what this is really about? Prove that we are evil and bad. Prove that we are just as bad as everyone else here," she says with worry.

"Yeah," I agree. "She could. She probably will. Like I told Jughead before, it is just a game. We have to believe that it is just a game or we will go crazy."

Veronica nods.

"I don't want her to put me up against you, B," she says in a choked voice. Veronica was not made for this sort of thing. She was just supposed to live in New York and be pretty and mildly successful in business. This was not what she was raised for. She never had to scavenge or fight for anything. Not until her dad became a crazy person. Now she has to fight for everything at home and everything out in the real world.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, V," I say. "Your parents getting divorced and your dad arrested."

"Do you think they'll somehow pin this against our parents too?" she asks.

"I don't know. I think that Penelope spent a lot of time planning this and she could bring anyone she wanted into it with us. She wants us to suffer and prove her point."

Veronica looks tired and warn.

"Rest," I beg of her.

"I'll try," she says.

Just then I feel Jughead jump and grab onto my hand. He jolts again and the moans in his sleep, a terrible fitful reaction. I turn around to see his face filled with anguish. I put my hands on his cheeks and caress him carefully, slowly.

"Juggie," I whisper. "I'm here. We're okay."

His eyes open and his face goes to immediate pain. He clenches his face, scrunches it up and hold onto his side, his head leaning forward. I throw my arm around him, pressing our bodies together and forcing him to look at me.

"Juggie," I whisper again.

"I'm okay, Bets," he says. "It just hurts."

"What does?" I ask.

"The knife cuts. They're burning."

"Burning?" I ask, confused.

Poison. To throw a wrench in our plans and in our rest time, Penelope Blossom has poisoned Jughead. Time, it seems, is running out.

**What will this mean for the next set of challenges? What are some things you are expecting or wanting out of challenges?**


	10. Chapter 10

**This is a challenge between friends and about friends. With Jughead Jones falling iller by the minute, they have to rush through the woods to reveal the truth about their friends, against time to receive the antidote.**

**Round Five.**

**Chapter Ten.**

**Betty POV.**

"Do you feel okay?" I ask Jughead. I wrap my arm around his waist to keep him steady. He looks down at me, taking a long breath.

"Yeah," he says. "I'm okay. I feel a little woozy but I think I'm fine for now."

"We have to get through the challenge to get the antidote. It's just like last time," Archie says.

"Let's follow the arrows," I insist. I keep my hand in Juggie's as we start to walk through the woods again. I cut off the lower half of my skirt so that at least, I can run without it dragging across the ground. My body is so sore but I can't imagine being Archie or Jughead. Sure, I was hit a couple of times but Jug was stabbed and Archie was beaten within an inch of his life. We get back on the trail, following the arrows until we reach the field right outside of the hunting house we were in in the beginning of all of this. We stop when we see a whole bunch of people we know. Our friends.

"What is this?" I ask, feeling weird about this challenge. Jughead doesn't let go of my hand as we stand in front of the people we know. I try not to look at any one of them specifically. We all stand together, waiting for one of them to do something.

"Who's first?" Veronica whispers to us.

Sweet Pea walks out of the group and pushes his way through the crowd. He walks over to Jughead and holds out a card to him. He looks scared. I have never seen Sweet Pea scared before. I saw him sad and angry but never scared. His large hands are uneasy when he hands over the card.

"Hellcaster," he says quietly. "You don't have much time."

Juggie turns the card over to read it aloud.

"Reveal the epic downfall of your best friendship," he reads.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"She's trying to prove we're bad people and even our friendships are fake," Archie says.

"Sorry, Jones," Sweet Pea says. "You and me are up."

"What am I supposed to admit?" he asks. Jughead is pale. I keep my hand on his because he is wavering on his feet. He looks like he might pass out at any given point. I have to stay close to him.

"Actually," he says. "It's me that has to say it. The epic downfall of our relationship is that you don't know before you came back, when you were homeless…I was working with your dad. I was going to be Serpent King."

"That's why you hated me," Jughead says. "When I came back, that's why you wanted me gone. And you didn't tell me this whole time! Jesus, Sweet Pea. I've trusted you this entire year."

Sweet Pea nods.

"I don't want it anymore, Jones. I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you that I wanted your position. I know I'm your right hand man but that's why I was so angry."

"Okay," Jughead says with a shrug. "Is that it?"

There is a horrible, high pitched laugh from the crowd. We all turn to the sight of it. Penelope stands in a new, long, red dress with a grin on her face. She shakes her head.

"Good try," she says. "Now that you've admitted your downfall, you must present it."

"Present it?"Jughead asks.

"You heard him. He would have been the Serpent King if not for you so let's see your original battle. The fight between kings."

"I am not fighting, Sweet Pea! He's my best friend," Jughead says.

"Do it or die," she says with a shrug.

"You have to, Juggie."

I squeeze his hand. He turns around and gives me a long kiss. I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around him.

"Okay, no one wants to see that all over again," Penelope says. He pulls away after a long moment and turns to the field, standing across from Sweet Pea.

"No, no. Not a physical fight. You will find your course through the woods. Follow the blue arrows to your destiny," she says.

Jughead gives me a look and starts walking back toward the woods. I grab his hand to walk with him.

"You know you can't come," he whispers.

"I am not leaving you," I insist.

"The four of you will reunite in the end to complete the round," Penelope assures.

I lean up to kiss him, holding Jughead close to my body. He presses his forehead against mine for a long moment.

"We'll be okay," he says.

"Elizabeth," Penelope says. "Your best friend?"

"Veronica," I say easily.

"Since Kevin is currently at the farm and I was unable to negotiate his release, I will accept that answer. Follow the pink arrows and go through your quest to reach the end. Remember…until everyone finishes their quest, Jughead will not receive the antidote," she says with a sly smile.

Veronica turns to Archie, kissing him quickly before we all rush off. Veronica and I rush to the woods where we find the first pink arrow. We run past it, looking on either side at the trees and the ground until we find the next one.

"Come on!" I shout toward her as we reach the next pink arrow. It leads us to leafy area. I can see the next pink arrow just past the large flat area filled with leaves. Veronica keeps running past me and over the leaves. They give way and she falls right through them. I see her disappear into the dark colored patches covering the ground.

"Veronica!" I shout, running after her. I stop when I see the whole in the ground that she fell through.

"B! B!" she screams from the ground. I start brushing the leaves away, pushing them out of the way so that I can see where the ground ends and the ditch begins. I go over on my hands and knees and reach my hand over the edge. She jumps up to reach me but can't make it.

"Keep going!" she says. "You have to save Jughead."

"Veronica, I am not leaving you," I say.

"You have to, B. You have to get to the end so he can get the antidote," she insists.

I shake my head, leaning my arm down further for her to reach it. She doesn't even bother trying. She just looks up at me with her hands on her hips.

"This is part of the challenge. We have to work together. We have to be true friends and prove Penelope wrong. Come on!" I say, reaching my arm down. "Jump!"

Veronica doesn't argue this time. She jumps up and misses my arm. She does it a second time and misses again, slamming her hands and body into the dirt wall in front of her.

"Jump higher!"

Veronica bends her knees and jumps as high as she can, reaching her hands up to grab onto mine. I grab her hands, reaching both of mine down to start pulling her with me. I try to pull her up, scooting my body back. She puts her legs on the dirt wall and tries using it to walk herself up higher.

"Come on!" I shout.

"Pull!" she says.

I keep pulling, holding onto her under her arms when she gets closer. I rear back and turn to the side, taking her with me and throwing her body over mine onto solid ground.

"We did it!" she shouts with relief, grabbing onto my waist in a hug. I feel a smile creep over my lips.

"We've got this," I say to her, pulling her up to stand. We start running together past the pink arrow and over to the next. We make a hard right turn and rush down the pathway to where we reach a dark swamp.

"You've got to be kidding me," Veronica says. "B, I can't do this. I am not getting in that thing."

"We have to, V," I tell her. It's small and there is an arrow on the other side. We have to swim through it and we have to get to the other side. We don't have a choice. I grab Veronica's hand and pull her back in. She screams when we enter. My dress gets dunked in. I walk on the ground of the swamp. It is mushy and wet all around us. We push through it, together, holding hands.

"Ugh! No!" Veronica says, groaning and crying as we go through it. I pull her hand, trying to lead her as quickly as I can through the muck and dirt until we get to the other side. I trip on a branch, feeling it grab at my leg. I try to get it off, twisting my leg around to get it off of me but nothing works.

"Why are we stopping?" Veronica asks.

"Because my leg it caught!" I shout.

"Well get it out!"

"I'm trying!"

I try to pull my leg out of the branch but nothing works and I am just getting worse and worse. I try to pull it off but I can't. I take a deep breath and go underwater, never letting go of veronica's hand. I know that I could lose her in here if we let go of each other and she'll freak out. I try to untangle my foot with one hand but I can't even get down far enough to feel it. I come back up, wiping my face off and coughing on the disgusting salty taste of the water.

"We have to get out of here," Veronica says in a fit of crying and worry. I grab her other hand to turn her toward me. I make her look at me pull her hands down.

"You have to go under water and undo it. I will keep a hold of your dress so that we don't lose each other but you have to do it," I tell her.

"No! No! I can't," she says, shaking her head. "There's no way I am going under there. I can't do this, B. I can't."

"You have to," I say, squeezing her hands." Please, V. I need to get to Jughead."

Her eyes look clear. She looks terrified but nods and takes in a long breath before going underwater. I grab her dress and keep a hand on it as she is under there. I can feel her hand on my leg and then across my dress, down to my ankle. I can feel her hands searching and trying to untangle. They are trembling and working quickly. She is underwater for several seconds. I try to decide how long I should wait before pulling her back up. I wait impatiently, trying to help her and keeping a good grip on her dress. She finally grabs onto my leg and I reach down, trying to find her hand. I grab her hand and pull her up toward me. She resurfaces with a large breath.

"I can move!" I shout with a smile, loosening my ankle and taking a step forward. "You did it!"

"Yeah, girl, now let's get the hell out of this swamp," she says.

I keep ahold of her hand as we start walking toward the end of the swamp. I step up, pulling her with me as we get out of the nastiness of the water. We keep running past the pink arrow and down the next path to the next until we reach the edge of the woods.

"Come on! We can make it!" I shout, pulling her with me. V trips on a branch and I grab her, trying to pull her along, though her ankle is twisted so she limps as she hobbles toward the clearing. We stop at the end of the clearing where I find our friends.

Jughead and Archie are already on the other side. Archie has blood dripping from his mouth. He is standing next to Mad Dog, who looks almost untouched. Jughead has nothing on but his pants and shoes. He is standing with Sweet Pea. They both are soaking wet and look warn. Jughead is so pale that I can almost see through him. His body is wavering on his feet. His eyes are closing and opening slowly, as if he's losing consciousness. Sweet Pea has his arm around him.

"Congratulations," Penelope says with a smile. "Round Five is complete. To finish your game, you must complete one more round."

**One more round to go. Our core four have been through quite a lot. Hope you all are enjoying it.**


	11. Chapter 11

**The core four have been tested in many challenges throughout several days. Their last challenge is the simplest. They stay together because of their strong dynamics until those very relationships change. Prove undying love for each other no matter the change in relationships and succeed.**

**Round Six.**

**Chapter Eleven.**

**Betty POV.**

"So we have to switch our relationships?" I clarify.

"That doesn't even make sense," Archie says.

"No?" Penelope asks. She turns to the others around her. She has several of our friends with her, just like she did on the other side of the field. She stares at Archie first.

"It doesn't matter to Veronica that you have been with her friends?" she asks.

"What?"

Valerie and Josie walk out of the crowd. They stand in front of V and Archie. Jughead hobbles over to me, grabbing onto my arm. I hold onto him, trying to hold his weight up.

"What happens to the core four when the relationships change?" she asks. "What happens when you have to see, first hand how your friends are with each other?"

Reggie walks out of the woods and then Chuck Clayton of all people. They both walk out together, standing in front of the pair. No one quite understands what is going on. We all just wait for the people we have been with to appear.

Toni comes out next and stands across from Jughead.

"My blood…Elizabeth seems to be the only one pure of heart when it comes to relationships," she says with a grin. I don't say anything. I stare out at the people that we have been with.

"One kiss per person," she says.

"Are you kidding?" Archie asks. "This is ridiculous!"

"This is crazy and it doesn't even make any sense. Chuck and I went on one date!" Veronica shouts.

"Oh, just wait for the finale," she says. When no one moves she looks over to Jughead, who is shaking and wavering, occasionally coughing but not saying anything as he stands ill.

"I would hurry up if I were you," she says.

Archie shrugs with an angry expression on his face. He grabs Valerie's hand and pulls her over, kissing her on the lips. It is just a moment, a brief kiss but he steps away and goes over to Josie.

"I'm sorry," he whispers to her before kissing her too.

"Come on!" Penelope says. "You all are wasting time."

"I did it!" Archie shouts.

"One more," she says with a shrug.

"Who?"

I know exactly who. I turn to Archie, not letting go of Jughead's hand. He looks surprised, shaking his head and then looks down at his feet.

"Fine," he says.

I start to walk toward him when Jughead grabs my hand so tight that it hurts. I turn around quickly.

"What?" I ask him. "We have to. Then the challenge will be done for him and me."

"Don't let go," he says, squeezing my hand.

I look down at our conjoined hands. He's scared he's not going to make it through this and I am the only thing holding him up. I nod in agreement. It's strange when Archie walks over to me and leans down that I am still holding onto Jug. But it reminds me that this doesn't matter and that I am Jug's forever. I kiss him once quickly and then pull away.

We all turn to Veronica, standing there, soaking wet, hurt and angry. She leans up and kisses Chuck quickly, then Reggie. Reggie looks broken when she pulls away with a sad expression.

"I'm so sorry," she says. "I was going to tell you about Archie."

"Save it," he says, looking between the both of them. "Both of you save it."

Reggie turns around and walks away with the others. I hold onto Jughead's hand as I nod toward Toni. She steps forward and kisses him. Jughead's eyes close as he stands there unmoving, barely even kissing her back. I keep a strong hold on his hand as she does this. She slowly pulls away and stares at him. But he doesn't open his eyes. His knees lock and his body starts to fall.

"Juggie," I say, grabbing his arm. He steps backwards, catching his breath and staring at me.

"I'm fine," he manages. "Just dizzy."

Toni nods and walks backwards, away from us.

"Now for the finale," Penelope says with a grin.

"What does that mean?"

Just then Jughead's eyes roll in the back of his head and he falls to the ground. I grab onto his body as I hold him. His entire body starts convulsing, shaking and trembling. I kneel down with Archie and Veronica. We all rush to his aid. I put my hands on either side of his face, trying to get him to look at me.

He doesn't. Instead, his eyes remain rolled back. His face looks afraid. His lip trembles and his body shakes. His mouth fills with foam as he shakes so violently he is practically out of my arms.

"He's having a seizure," Archie says.

"I've got him," I insist.

I hold him close to me as the seizure passes and turn him on his side quickly. I brush away the foam from his mouth and then turn him back to his back.

"Juggie," I say, trying to wake him. "Come on, Juggie. Wake up! Come on! Wake up!"

"Jughead," Archie says. "Wake up. Come on, man, wake up. We need you to get out of this."

"You all don't realize just how much Jughead is holding you together until now…when you can't have him," Penelope says.

"Give me the antidote!" I shout.

She nods and tosses over a small bottle with a grin on her stupid face. I take it from her, grabbing the bottle in my hands and opening it. I know she's right. I know that we are still all together because of Jughead. When he wasn't with us, we weren't a real family.

I open the bottle and pour it down his throat. His lips remain parted. His eyes remain closed and his body is beaten, bruised and totally still. I hold onto his hand, begging him to wake.

"Betty," Archie says with a terrified tone. "His heart."

I reach down, putting my head on his chest. His heart isn't beating anymore. He's gone. He's gone.

"Jughead!" I shout.

I put my hands to his chest as I sob and cry and shake. I start pushing on his chest right away counting out loud to thirty.

You can't be gone. We need you. I need you. I have my whole life to be with you and if you are gone, I have no where to live. I have no where to be. You are my everything. How can I live without you?

I lean down and press my lips to his, blowing air into his lungs twice. I go back to pressing on his chest, trying my hardest to get him to come back.

"Please, Jug," Archie begs.

"Come on," Veronica says.

"We need you," I tell him.

I push against his chest over and over again, harder until I reach thirty times. I get no response, no movement at all. He stays completely still and doesn't react to us touching him at all. His eyes remain closed. He is still gone. He can't be gone. I have to have him.

"Juggie," I beg, sobbing as I reach down to press my lips to his again. I take a huge breath and blow it into his lungs. I watch his chest rise and fall with my breath and then I do it again. But his eyes don't open. His body doesn't respond to me.

"Oh, well," Penelope says in the background.

"No! No! You're not dead! You're okay!" I shout. "You have to be okay! We need you! You have to live! Our story is not over, Juggie!"

I throw my fists together as hard as I can on the center of his chest.

And his eyes open.

**Ah… they saved Jughead! What do you think about the shift in relationships effecting the core four?**


	12. Chapter 12

**They have proved their undying love for each other but now, they will have to find themselves again. The night is over but the pain is not. Will the core four survive the truths that were revealed?**

**Chapter Twelve.**

**Jughead POV.**

"Game over," Penelope says behind the fog of the night. "Congratulations. I suggest you get an ambulance for that one. He's not looking too good."

At first, I'm confused about what that means but then I feel the cold grass underneath of me and realize what is going on. I'm still laying down on the ground. My head hurts and I feel woozy. If I stand up, I am going to fall over again.

"Juggie," I hear above me. I force my eyes open to see an incredibly distraught and horrified Betty Cooper. Her hair fell out of that horrible bun it was in and is now down around her shoulders, falling in her face as she cries over me. Betty throws herself on top of me and wraps her arms around my body, sobbing.

"Jug," I hear beside me. I put my arm around Betty but even that is a big effort. I squeeze her gently and roll my head over to Archie who is sitting beside me on his knees with his hands on my other arm.

"What the hell happened?" I ask in a terribly rough voice.

"You died," Veronica says behind me.

"You scared us, Jones," Sweet Pea says, kneeling right next to Archie and looking dirty and harrowed like the rest of us. I hadn't even remembered any of that. I just felt weird and woozy and I was in pain and then that was it for a long time. I died? Oh god.

I throw my head back to the ground and let Betty hold me on the ground until we hear the ambulance rushing toward us. By the time I look up again, Betty has stopped crying and the others are surrounding us, getting out of the ambulances way. I get lost on the bright lights and the loud sirens that whirl around me. I watch them as the approach. The sirens get louder and the lights get brighter. Then all at once, I can't see anyone else around me. All I can hear is the loud siren. I feel myself starting to lose it and then I have no control over my body. It goes numb right before everything goes black.

When I wake up I feel a soft bed underneath of me and a sheet over my body. I'm warm and can feel a strange sensation in my left arm. My head still hurts and my body is sore as I start to move it, trying to stretch my muscles. My eyes are sticky when I force them open. I swallow hard, pushing back the thick secretions that have started around my throat. I see nothing but an almost ordinary hospital room. I roll my head to the side to find Betty sitting with her head rolled toward her chest and her eyes closed. She is still wearing the ripped and dirty gown that she would have looked quite beautiful in if it weren't for Penelope's domination that she imposed upon us.

"Bets," I mutter, not really wanting to wake her but desperately wanting to feel her close to me. I reach my hand out, feeling the IV in my other arm and trying to stretch my body. I am so sore. My stomach and sides ache horribly but I try to ignore it as I reach over the side of the bed, trying to get close to Betty.

"Bets," I say again. I have to know what happened to the others. I have to know what's going on, if they're okay. When I sit up, I am forced to remember there is poison in my veins and I get a horrible revolting jolt in my stomach and I get nauseas.

"Hey, Betty, wake up," I say through the uncomfortable feeling. "Betty, please wake up."

Betty starts to shuffle and then turns her head to the side, revealing her beautiful face to me. Her eyes go wide and she rushes over, throwing her dress down as she sits at the edge of my bed and puts her hands on my face. I cup her hands gently, staring into those blue eyes that I love so much. Her bewilderment becomes almost overwhelming as she leans down to kiss me so softly I wonder if it really happened.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yeah," I say back. "Are you?"

She shrugs.

"Better now that you're awake. They're making sure that you'll heal from that horrible poison, not to mention your physical injuries, which are—"

"Betty," I say, putting my hand on her face and pulling her closer. "It's okay. I'm okay."

She looks assured before laying her body down across my chest. I wrap my arms around her as it becomes clear that she needs this. I let her hold onto me for as long as she needs to, slowly patting her hair down and kissing her, taking in all of her warmth and safety. Though there is still electricity in my veins from this week and I don't think I trust anyone, at least I can say that right now I am safe and so is Betty. That will have to be enough.

"Where are the others?" I ask after a while.

"They admitted Archie. Veronica is with him," she says. "I think that Sweet Pea, Toni and some of the others are around too."

"I want to see Sweet Pea and apologize. We never should have had to do any of that," I say, shaking my head. I throw my arm over my face in horrible regret when I remember all of the things that I just endured, just watched. Betty and Sweet Pea…Archie and Betty…Me and Betty. It was all just so horrible.

"It's over," Betty says. "It was just a game, Juggie."

I let her take my arm from my face, pulling it back down around her waist again and taking in her warmth. I give her the best expression I can muster, though everything still hurts and I'm still shaking with the unknown in my body.

"It's okay," she promises again. "We're together and we got through it. It was just a game but the game is over now."

I suddenly feel violently ill and lean over the side of the bed, dry heaving and coughing and choking on nothing, begging for air within seconds as my stomach aches. Every part of my body clenches as I lean over, gripping the side of the bed and heaving worse and worse.

"Juggie! Juggie! What's going on?" she begs.

The game is over now, Betty had said.

But now, I'm not so sure.

**What's up with that? Maybe we'll see some Archie and Veronica next!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Archie and Veronica are back in the hospital, talking, healing and trying to get over everything that has happened to them.**

**Chapter Thirteen.**

**Veronica POV.**

It's finally over. After everything, we survived. I don't know how it happened but we survived. I'm here, alone with Archie in the hospital room. After they checked me over, I went straight to him. I knew that he would be in a lot more pain than me.

"Hey," Archie says, waking me out of my tired super. I shake my head and rise, being sure to see his expression before responding. His look of concern has me shaking. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm just happy to be here," I say. "I can't believe this is real. I can't believe we survived all of that."

"Me either, Ronnie. Sometimes I thought we weren't. There were moments when I really thought I wasn't gonna make it and I was worried because that meant that there was one less person to protect you," Archie tells me in his deep, lovers voice.

I give him my best puppy dog eyes and stick out my lip, leaning down to kiss him gently. He kisses me back but it is clear Archie Andrews needs a bit more comfort than a kiss. Instead of doing what we always do and rushing into sex, I do what I imagine Jughead and Betty are always up to. I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder, holding him close to me. From this position, I can hear his gentle heartbeat and feel his soft breathing. It's amazing.

"We never have to do that again, lover," I promise him.

"Maybe," he says. "Or maybe none of this is over. Every time we turn around we are back to fighting another battle."

I sit up then, but keep my arms around him. Archie's face is filled with anguish that I wish I could abolish. Tracing my pedicured finger down the side of his chiseled jawline, I reach down to give him another kiss.

"Archikins, everything is okay now," I promise.

He does not seem convinced so I go into full on damage control mode and take a long breath to go into my speech.

"We are safe now. You and I are safe now. We got out of Penelope's hell hole together."

"That's what I'm worried about," he interrupts, annoying me but I let it slide for now.

"What do you mean, lover?" I say in my sweetest voice yet, concerned for my bo.

"I mean, you and I got back together because we were in crisis mode and realized that we could lose each other. Are we going to start fighting and break up again once things go back to normal? Are you with me because you love me or because you thought you might lose me and you couldn't handle that again?" he asks.

I had no idea these thoughts were percolating in that head of his. It concerns me, sure, but I am almost positive I have just the right remedy. I thought it was clear to everyone but me just how much I love Archie. After all, I did not break up with him. He was the one that left me and I tried to get him to stay. Perhaps now that this is all over, he is the one that is having some second thoughts about our inappropriately timed kiss in the center of Penelope's hell hole?

"No," I say in protest. "But maybe you are the one that is having some second thoughts."

"No. I'm not," he assures, bringing me in with those perfect eyes. "I'm really not. I love you, Veronica. I have always loved you. I never stopped loving you. I meant what I said about you sophomore year. When I saw you, that was it. You were it for me. You always have been. Every girl that I have been with in the mean time, it was never right because they were never you. You and I are supposed to be together. But I don't want you to choose me because you think you have to."

"What? No! I'm not doing that! Archie, why would you think that?" I demand. He cannot just present this perfectly amazing speech and then try to tell me that I am choosing him out of obligation! I am allowed to love whomever I want and maybe I do love Archie. Maybe I always have.

"I love you, Ronnie. But there was always something between you and Reggie. I don't want to come between what you have because of some hell that we never asked for," he says. "I know that you loved him."

"I liked him. I liked what he gave me. He made me feel better but I was never in love with him. We had fun and we were good with each other but it was never the lovey romance that I had with you. We were never…this," I say, grazing my hand down his face to rest on his chest. "There has always been something with you and I. I always go back to you."

Finally, convinced, Archie gives me a small smile and leans up to kiss me. He winces at his wounds and I grasp the back of his head. Both of us give a short laugh as we kiss right before he winces again and holds onto his stomach. I help him lay back down.

"Are you okay?" I ask, trying not to worry too much, as he is still smiling.

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. We both will be."

"We should get some sleep. I'm exhausted from all of that. I am never running again," I declare with a short laugh, resting my head back down on his chest but being sure not to touch any of his wounds, which does leave me at a disadvantage given that there are so many of them. He closes his fingers around mine with a sigh.

"Hey, Ronnie?"

"Hm?"

"Can we just talk about what was up with Jughead's secret sex desire?" he asks with a laugh. I cannot contain my own laugh. I burst out in a fit of happiness but be careful not to touch any of his wounds.

"We told him that we didn't care," I protest.

"I don't judge him for it but I think it's funny," he says.

"I actually praise him," I say with a smile and try not to laugh at Archie's curiosity.

"What?" Archie laughs. "You want me to do that?"

"No! No! But I mean, everyone has their thing and I think it's great that they get into the crazy stuff. Good for them."

"Yeah," Archie mutters. "Good for them."

Though it is clear neither of us truly cares about that conversation, we are just glad to be smiling about something that happened in that last week. Actually, we are just glad to be smiling at all.

**For all the Varchie fans. Who are my Varchie fans?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Jughead and Betty are back in their hospital room, trying to heal and figure out what happened with Jughead. Why was he sick? What is going on with them? Will they ever get over what happened?**

**Chapter Fourteen.**

**Betty POV.**

"Now that everything is over…can we talk about what just happened, please Juggie?" I ask him. His warmth radiates all over his body as he holds me close to him. His hospital bed is small but he insisted that I lay up here with him. I think if I moved away from him he might actually break. I don't know if he'd be able to get over this one. We need each other right now.

"Yeah," he says with a sigh.

"So the doctor said that was from the bacteria in your wounds?" I clarify. I was not allowed to the in the room while that exchange occurred so I need to make sure that what Juggie is telling me is the whole truth and not something that he wants to tell me just so that he does not have to have me worrying about him, which I might do anyway.

"Yeah. That's all. Give me a couple of days and I will all back to normal, Cooper," he says with a happy expression that I actually believe. Even though we are both still afraid and feel weird from everything that happened these last couple of days, we can finally rest. We are safe from Penelope and everyone else involved in it. We are safe from everything. We can just be together now. I squeeze Juggie a little closer and rest my head on his chest, running my fingers up and down his hospital gown and over his collarbone.

"I love you," he whispers in a deep voice that is sort of raspy. It scares me a little bit when I think I can hear the sound of thick tears in the back of his throat. I let me hand play with his hair and meet his eyes so that he cannot hide a thing from me.

"I love you too," I tell him. "What are you thinking?"

He gives me a small smile and leans down to kiss my forehead, which makes me smile.

"I'm just thinking about everything we have been through these last couple of days. It's been horrible, Bets. Who does that? We just ran through the woods for days on end with no sleep, no food, fighting for our lives every step of the way. Not to mention that there were some horrible psychological games played. I mean, what are we supposed to think about that?" he says, throwing his hand up. He rests it back down on the mattress and reach across us to take it. He sighs, leaning back into the mattress as we hold hands and hold each other.

"You know that I was jealous of Archie once but I never thought that you would really be with him. I mean…I was never worried about it," Jughead says.

"I know," I affirm. I sit up a little bit so that he can see my face. There are things we both need to confirm with each other because of what Penelope did. She brought up so many things that we thought were long gone or that we thought did not need any more discussion. But now they are out in the open, begging to be spoken about. Those topics can no longer be avoided. They must be touched. "You know that there was a time when I wanted to be with Archie. But when I was with you…it was all about you. When I realized that I wanted you that was it, Juggie. There were moments when I strayed when you and I were broken up because I was afraid but that was all. It's always been you."

"I know," he says with a confirmed smile. He leans down and kisses my forehead again. I can feel him tense up before he pulls away again and then sighs.

"What is it?" I ask. "It's okay. Just say it."

"Did you ever have feelings for Sweet Pea?" he blurts out.

"No," I say honestly, shaking my head.

"Did something happen between you two?"

I shake my head again.

"He came outside to talk to me after you yelled at me after the Serpent Dance. He tried to kiss me but I didn't let him. I told him that I just didn't want anything like that from him," I explain, all true. Jughead throws a hand down his face and then gives me a nod, clearly not liking that answer at all. It is the truth. That is all I can give him now.

"Juggie there is something else I wanted to talk about," I admit.

He waits.

"You explained all of the horrible things that happened when you were younger and you were really upset. Do you want to talk about that? It might be good for you," I say, knowing his answer but also knowing that he needs that opportunity. He was crying and all he was doing was talking about. He shudders and pulls me closer.

"No more of that," he says.

"Come on. What about what she said about us? Your worst memory…I had no idea that happened," I tell him, recalling the memory where he told everyone that Malachi was going to kill him but that he threatened me. Juggie really thought that Malachi had done something terrible to me, something a lot worse than beat me up.

"I can't even talk about that," he says.

"Please."

I wait a few more moments. When I think he is not going to say anything about it, he clears his throat so I look up to see his expression has changed. While his tears have not yet fallen they are resting inside his eyes, just waiting for the vulnerable moment. He runs his tongue over his lips before taking his lower one in between his teeth. That's when the tears fall and a few sobs wrack his upper body. His chest heaves, making sad, high pitched noises in his throat.

I grab him around his sides and pull him in for a hug, holding onto his entire body. I let him put his scraggly hair and hat against my shoulder as I hold him tight.

"When I couldn't fight them off and I was on the ground, Malachi came right up to my face. He told me that this would change nothing. He told me he'd find you and have his way with you and there was nothing I could do about it. Bets, when I woke up and my dad said something was wrong, I really thought that he—"

Jughead stops short and cries again into my shoulder. I squeeze him tighter, my own tears falling from my face.

"It's okay, Juggie," I promise. "It's over. Nothing ever happened to me. I was fine and the other day when Malachi attacked me, you saved me. You always save me, Jug."

His cries stop and he pulls away a little bit, still holding onto me but now more like he is holding me instead of me holding his weight. He leans back on the bed and lets himself catch his breath.

"I was serious about being with you forever," he says. "I know we're too young to get married. But what I meant was that I want to have every experience with you."

I give him a little smile that makes the happiness return to his eyes. He nods back, returning with that tiny smirk that makes me feel just a little bit better.

"And you will," I promise with a smile. "We will."

"I can't believe it's over. It's really over," Jughead says with a loud sigh.

"Yes it is," I assure. "It's over. We're safe."

It feels almost surreal, no way that we are finally alone and finally safe from the horrors of that woods. It was so terrifying that truthfully, I cannot believe it. But when I am laying in my loves arms and we are falling asleep together without a lick of pain or a whip of fear, I realize that maybe it is over. Maybe we can be safe again.

"I love you, Juggie," I promise him as we fall asleep. "I love you forever."

**This is the LAST chapter! (Unless I randomly get some inspiration or someone suggests something I want to write). But it feels very complete now so I think I will leave it here. Please review! Don't forget to check out Bughead Series and my MALEC fanfic. Both of those are regularly updated.**


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